Adrian Ma
Adrian Ma covers work, money and other "business-ish" for NPR's daily economics podcast The Indicator from Planet Money.
His reporting has garnered national honors including a National Edward R. Murrow Award, a Gracie Award and a Public Media Journalists Association Award. Before joining NPR in 2021, he covered the business beat for member stations WBUR in Boston and WCPN in Cleveland.
He's reported on what it's like to deliver groceries during an outbreak, captured the final hours of a tiny cafe, and traveled to China to unpack how the trade war crushed a growing market for U.S. cranberries. He's also covered protests for racial justice, explored what it's like to drive for Amazon, and documented the curious ritual that is 'speed dating for economists.'
His interest in journalism began while studying media law at the University of Maryland School of Law. Later, while working for a judge in Baltimore, he decided to "roll the dice" and change careers. After obtaining a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University, his first news job was as an assistant producer at WNYC in New York.
Some years ago, he worked as a prep cook in a ramen shop.
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There is only one public bank in the United States, and a group in Rochester, N.Y., is trying to change that. The Indicator from Planet Money explores the challenges of public banking in the U.S.
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Yellow stunned the trucking industry when it filed for bankruptcy this month. A specific type of loan, the debtor in possession financing, promises some rich returns to the lender in this case.
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New evidence suggests working from home, at least full time, may not be as productive as we once thought.
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With more than 200 careers under her pink belt, Barbie has always been a hard worker. What can the types of professions Barbie's done tell us about women in the U.S. labor force? A lot, actually.
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A combination of tech savvy, controlled supply chains and tariff relief have all helped Chinese online retailer Shein become a fast-fashion behemoth. Can it withstand the backlash?
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Homeowner insurance companies are leaving states facing increasing natural disasters made worse by climate change. The cost for those companies to get their own insurance has skyrocketed.
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California's 1996 ban on affirmative action at public universities offers clues about how students and the economy may be affected if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the policy nationwide.
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Billions of dollars have flowed from traditional banks to money market funds in search of higher returns. These funds are supposed to be safe. But lately, things have been looking a little shaky.
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New technologies often benefit highly paid, college-educated professionals — while putting others out of work. Research indicates generative AI could benefit middle-skill workers in surprising ways.
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The U.S. debt has led to plenty of partisan fights and ... charitable gifts. For decades, a government program has been collecting donations from Americans who want to help pay off the national debt.